Graduate Early

The afternoon sun was exceptionally glaring, but the Seventh Dormitory was already thick with the smell of gunpowder.

"Xiao Wu, come with me!"

Tang San, who had recovered somewhat, looked at Xiao Wu with a pleading expression. Even his bandage-wrapped hands trembled slightly.

He had just invited Xiao Wu to take a walk outside with him, but not only had she refused, she had even called him crazy.

"Tang San, have you looked at the sun outside? It could roast someone alive!"

"And stop always asking me to go with you. If Yun Tian asked, maybe..."

Tang San frowned. He was extremely sensitive to Yun Tian's name now. Whenever the other person was involved, he felt deeply uncomfortable.

Especially when Xiao Wu, the girl he liked, said something like that.

Creak!

The door opened. Everyone turned to look and saw Yun Tian slowly pushing it open and walking inside, his face relaxed.

"Yun Tian! Where did you go? You disappeared all morning again."

"I went to practice my spear. Xiao Wu, stop asking me all the time. We're not that close."

"Ugh, how annoying. You're the only one here I can even talk to."

Crack!

Tang San felt as though his heart had shattered. Xiao Wu had just been talking to him, yet now she said there was no one she could talk to. Was he not a person?

Damn Yun Tian, you have earned yourself a death sentence!

He secretly swore that one day, he, Tang San, would grind Yun Tian beneath his feet!

Glancing at Tang San, Yun Tian said flatly, "Tang San, where's the Master? Why hasn't he come looking for you?"

"Teacher is still resting, and he has a lot to do every day. After all, he's a theoretical master!" Tang San said proudly. His teacher was just that diligent and wise!

Yun Tian nodded, too lazy to argue with him. In Tang San's mind, his teacher and father were invincible. No matter how much Yun Tian said, it would be useless. He might as well wait for Gangzi to get himself killed.

He had actually begun considering graduating early, but when he thought about the road ahead, Yun Tian still felt somewhat lost.

First, he absolutely had to visit the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Eyes. It was at the top of every transmigrator's must-eat list.

Then there was the matter of academies. He had no plans to attend Shrek Academy. Tang San would definitely go there in the future, which meant Tang Hao would be there as well.

If he appeared too often in that man's sight, Yun Tian feared that one careless mistake might cost him his life.

When making a living out in the world, with neither backing nor strength, caution came before everything else.

That was also why he did not want too much contact with Xiao Wu. There was a high chance she had already been treated as Tang San's backup soul ring.

Furthermore, although Yun Tian could modify or delete entries, he did not dare gamble on it. What if titled Douluo like Dugu Bo or Tang Hao had no usable entries? Wouldn't he be finished then?

"I still need to cultivate faster. I get to choose an entry every ten levels, so I have to work harder!"

One year later.

Inside Notting Academy, in the principal's office.

Yun Tian, who had grown quite a bit taller, looked calmly at Principal Yuan Hua and said, "Principal, I want to graduate early."

"What? Xiao Tian, have you thought this through? Although you met the graduation requirements long ago, wouldn't it be..."

Yuan Hua wanted to say more, but he saw the determination on Yun Tian's face and could only agree. Notting Academy's graduation requirements were very simple: reaching level ten and obtaining one soul ring was enough to graduate early.

Yet in the original story, Tang San had spent a full six years here and only reached level twenty-nine.

However, thanks to his Spear Art and diligent cultivation, Yun Tian had risen a full five levels in one year, reaching level eighteen. That meant he only needed two more levels to enter the next stage.

Returning to the Seventh Dormitory, Yun Tian began packing his belongings.

"Yun Tian, why are you packing? Don't tell me you're getting expelled for beating Xiao Chenyu last time?"

Seeing this, Tang San immediately came over to mock him. Over the past year, aside from eating, sleeping, and cultivating, one other thing had happened: Xiao Chenyu, the school bully from the original story, had tried to make Xiao Wu his subordinate.

Yun Tian had happened to run into it that day. He had no choice but to intervene. The principal had suppressed the matter, and that was why the city lord had not made things difficult for him.

"Hm?"

Yun Tian's gaze sharpened, and a dense spear intent shot straight at Tang San's face, leaving him frozen.

Feeling his body tremble slightly, he was instantly overcome by a sense of suppression. What had just happened? Why had Yun Tian's single look frightened him so badly that he could not move?

"Tang San, I'll be leaving first. You can stay in the academy and play with that worthless Blue Silver Grass of yours."

Yun Tian spoke coldly. He then bundled up all his things and walked out of the Seventh Dormitory.

"I... Just you wait!"

Tang San slammed his fist heavily onto the bedframe, leaving a fist mark in it. His entire face flushed red. His first soul ring was a ten-year Solitary Bamboo. Because of Tang Hao's mistake, Yu Xiaogang no longer dared venture deep into the Hunting Soul Forest. He had hastily hunted down a Solitary Bamboo on the outskirts and called it a day.

During this period of study, Tang San had also learned that soul rings ranged from single-digit years all the way to a hundred thousand years. His white first ring was at the absolute bottom tier.

Even those with only slightly higher soul power than him absorbed hundred-year soul rings as their first ring, yet he, Tang San, with innate full soul power, had absorbed nothing but a worthless piece of bamboo!

Damn it, you were supposed to pick a good soul ring for me!

Just like that, Tang San began to resent Yu Xiaogang, blaming him for being such trash that he could not even defeat a hundred-year soul beast.

"Yun Tian!"

Shortly after Yun Tian left, Xiao Wu hurried back in a panic. While she had been in the cafeteria, she had suddenly felt that something was wrong, so she rushed back to the dormitory.

She looked around and found no sign of Yun Tian. Turning to Tang San, she asked, "Tang San, where's Yun Tian?"

"He left. He took all his things with him. Xiao Wu, see? I told you, Yun Tian is getting expelled!"

"Shut up!"

Xiao Wu shouted at Tang San angrily, then ran toward the dormitory entrance, but there was not the slightest trace of Yun Tian.

"Waaah... Yun Tian, where did you go?"

Sadness spread through her entire body. Xiao Wu found herself strange. Ever since the incident with Xiao Chenyu, she had developed special feelings for Yun Tian.

But before those feelings could even begin, he had already left.

Meanwhile, Yun Tian had already boarded a carriage back to Saint Soul Village. He wanted to check on Old Jack first and, while he was at it, test whether Tang Hao was still there.

He could use the Blue Silver Emperor's soul bone as well. Setting aside compatibility, its age alone made it worth absorbing without a second thought.

According to the original story, Tang Hao had probably already left by now. After all, the academy's break was approaching, and by the time Tang San returned to Saint Soul Village, Tang Hao had long since gone.

But plans could never keep up with changes. Yun Tian still needed to test it out. Better safe than sorry.